1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a centrifugal dryer including a rotatably mounted drum. Specifically, the invention is a centrifugal dryer for use in drying cut farm produce such as vegetables.
2. Description of the Background Art
The use of centrifuges to extract liquid is well known. In the field of vegetable processing, rotatably mounted drums having perforate walls have been used to centrifugally dry vegetables prior to packing. Such known devices have generally been ergonomically inefficient in terms of filling and emptying.
The background art includes a perforate open-ended cylinder adapted to be rotated about its longitudinal axis. Also mounted for rotation with the cylinder is a circular disk disposed intermediate to the ends of the cylinder in a plane normal to the axis of the cylinder such that an annular gap is defined between the periphery of the disk and the cylinder's inner wall. In use, the cylinder axis is oriented vertically and produce is gravity fed through the upper open end of the rotating cylinder and strikes the rotating circular disk. Due to the rotation of the disk the produce is centrifugally thrown outwardly where it impinges the wall of the cylinder and excess water is centrifugally drained through the perforations in the cylinder wall. The cylinder is then decelerated and produce falls through the annular gap and is dispensed through the lower open end of the cylinder. This dispensing can be assisted by blasting air into the cylinder. Whilst this arrangement goes some way towards addressing the problems of filling and emptying centrifugal dryers, it has been found to be impractical.
It is an object of the invention to overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of these deficiencies of the prior art.